Vi reached up. “Hey, it’s okay. Hey, Twelve, come sit with me for awhile?”
The girl glanced down at her, mistrustfully, but then she settled down. Her tail didn’t move quite so restlessly now, and she took it back in her hand and started picking at it.
Vi rested her hand over Twelve’s. “You’re right, you know. My master was so nice to me,” she said softly. “He was a good guy. Very kind. It’s like you say, he could never be mean to a slave.”
The girl nodded her head, and a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away with an angry swipe of her hand. “That’s what I thought.” She shook her head. “There’s no way. Just like I said.” She glanced at the other slave who had yelled at her and stuck a tongue out at her back.
The girl snuck a look around, but the slaves were gathered in social groups, eating. “Do you think your Master will come to buy you back?” She shrugged her shoulders. “I mean, he wouldn’t leave you here, right?”
Vi smiled. “He’ll be back, and he’ll definitely want to take you too. I’m sure he’ll even take you back to Vargys.”
The girl laughed at that. “No, we don’t go there. No one goes there. Master told me, the one before this one. It’s all just disease and death now.”
“What are you talking about? Haze never said anything…”
She grumbled. “A Master told me.” She put her hand to her face in thought. “It was the Master before this one. He liked to tell me things.”
The girl let out a long sigh. She began picking at some loose paint on the wall behind her.
“My last partner wasn’t sold. She tried to leave on a food cart. She had some arrangement with a guard, didn’t even bother to tell me. They killed her and the guard in front of us. Still, at least she got out.
“I wish I’d never left home, but I wanted an adventure before I went through the change and joined my own verlok. I was headed to an abandoned Vargys colony on Ballanger. I always wanted to see The Ruins of Ballanger.” She banged her hand against the wall. “My ship was intercepted by pirates en route to the planet. They only left the women alive; airlocked the rest.
“At first, I was so sad that my brother was dead, killed by them. Eventually, I ended up here, wishing I’d been airlocked too. I’ve had maybe three or four Masters …each one more fun than the last.”
Vi felt horror lance through her.
“You adapt though,” the girl continued. “This place actually isn’t so bad as the others I’ve been with, as long as you do what’s asked of you. That’s my big piece of advice. No matter what you’re thinking. Just do what they say. Get it over with. Right?”
Vi’s mouth formed a hard line. “I don’t think I can.”
The girl nodded her head. “Yes, I think we all think that at first.”
30
Haze
Ollie, indeed, was not happy with the new arrangement. He looked like a faerlun who’d been dipped in water; his fur stuck out straight on the end, like he wanted to hiss and scratch.
Haze kept his gun trained on Ollie while the details were negotiated. The merchant stepped forward as Ollie rubbed at his freed hands.
“Ollie, we can talk in the car. You want to grab the kit?”
“Come again?” Haze asked, taking a step forward with his weapon drawn. They were not leaving his eyesight to go radio Boss Lady.
“You can spare a little trust, don’t you think?” Yarda asked.
“Nope. Really can’t.”
The man, Ollie, shrugged and gestured toward an opening beneath the counter. “I need to grab the box in there.”
“Why don’t I handle that part?” Haze asked.
Ollie stepped back. Haze felt around carefully, making sure there were not any hidden triggers, but paused when he came to a smooth, square box. He dragged it out and showed it to the merchant. “This it?” he asked.
“Yes, Mister Gosa. We can go now.”
They walked around a corner, down half a block, and stopped in front of a shuttle car, parked by an overflowing, smelly dumpster.
“This it?” Haze asked, disappointed. The shuttle car was over a decade old, painted an ugly, dull green, and looked like it would be bouncing on the bumps more than it managed to glide over them. These partial-hover cars, especially this dated, were the worst to travel in. Barely any road sensors at all.
In Haze’s opinion, the only thing going for it was the darkly-tinted windows. At least, he wouldn’t have to wear his mask on the ride over.
Ollie opened the silver box and took out a scanner, making a sweep of the undercarriage and inside of the car, finally moving to the engine and trunk. “It’s clear,” he said to the merchant.
“She doesn’t look like much which means she won’t get looked at much, yes?”
Haze grumbled his agreement.
“We don’t take any chances where we’re going. No good having a secret lair, if you lead the enemy right to it.”
Haze climbed into the backseat, removing his mask again. Even the air in this place was preferable to the re-mix from the filter on his mask.
They drove out of town in silence, the silver box stowed on the backseat next to Haze, Ollie driving, and the merchant Yarda in the passenger seat.
Haze opened the case, and it contained a few different pieces of spy tech. Definitely, Ollie and the merchant, Yarda, were running a con on someone.
It was then that Haze gave up all pretense and stowed his gun in his pocket. For better or worse, he believed the merchant’s story. He’d learned to trust his instincts at judging how negotiations were going. If this was a con, it appeared to be a long con, and Haze really didn’t think this one was aimed at him.
The secret lair? Turned out to be a cabin in the woods, forty clicks out of town, at the foot of a mountain.
“This is it?” he asked confused. It was about as impressive as the merchant’s vehicle.
They piled out of the car, and Haze slung his pack over his back. He started to grab the case, but Ollie held his hand out. “I’ll take that.”
“Suit yourself,” Haze said.
Ollie opened the case, and Yarda pulled down a false top, removing a single key. He aimed it toward the house and pressed until it made a clicking sound.
“We can go in now.”
As they piled into the cottage, Haze looked around. It was pretty rustic. Some devices for hunting wildlife, nothing that indicated plans for Boss Lady’s home or a cache of weapons.
“I got to say, not quite what I expected…” he said. …Or hoped for, he thought.
The merchant, Yarda, walked to the fireplace and yanked on something hidden inside. Haze heard a loud click.
Yarda gave a quick tug on the mantle, and the fireplace swung open to reveal a hidden hallway. He flipped a switch, and lights flickered on.
“Through here,” he said.
The merchant led, with Ollie following behind him.
“We’re traveling into the mountain; it’s how we’ve kept our cover.”
Finally, they reached a room, and here was everything, everything that Haze needed. His mind worked the plan anew.
The Boss’s layout was mapped out in front of him- all the entrances, the weak points to place the charges. Everything he could ask for.
In a cage, against one wall, were lines of weapons and handheld incendiary devices.
“This is what you call a hideout,” Haze said with approval. “What are you even waiting for?”
“We have one chance at this. One. Then it’s over.” Yarda held up a different piece of paper in each hand. “It’s not just about freeing the slaves. We need to get all her contacts, her files.” He scattered them about. “We need to make sure she can’t set up shop somewhere else or that someone else can’t take over for her. I’m not sure we’re ready yet. Ideally, we’d like to setup someone in her place, so we can get further embedded and pull out the organization at the roots.
“Ollie, here, wanted to move on the compound last week. I’ve been res
isting. Now, you come along and stir the hornet’s nest. I’m not sure we can even salvage the plan at this point.”
“What’s the plan? Fill me in.”
They took time to show him more detail on the map, known movements of her men, best ways in and out of the complex. Haze started to see a pattern.
“You said you have some men. You trust them?” Haze asked.
“Every one of them has a similar story to our own - sisters or daughters taken. We all have a reason to do whatever it takes to end this.”
“Okay, let’s start putting the pieces together. Do you have anyone on the inside that we can use?”
“We had three. One got impatient, died trying to free a girl. One is out of commission - we couldn’t get him to go back and had to ship him home. One is waiting for my signal. I’m actually pretty sure of another, but I’ve had limited time with him. I think we can count on him though, once things get started.”
“So you have one in there that you know about and one you think will help you out?”
Yarda nodded his head. “He is from my planet. He is a slave but highly placed. I believe, when he sees a chance to escape, he will take it gladly.”
“Hmm. Okay.” Haze took a deep breath. “On that one, don’t get your hopes up. If he’s high up, he may have had to make choices that he won’t want to live with. Keep an eye on him, right? The other one though, you think he’s trust worthy?”
“We placed him ourselves, forged his credentials. He lost a sister to slavers. I don’t think there is any way they could turn him.”
“Good enough.” Haze traced his finger up the path to a likely egress point. “We’ll need charges, here and here. Let's not blow them ’til we’ve got the thing done. No reason to give them our escape plan.” As he got to the other side, he saw it like it was gift-wrapped. “This area here is vulnerable. We can assign three men here. Maybe five to be safe.” Then his gaze was drawn to the interior of the building itself and the way the rooms lined up with the basement. “And this closet here? It’s calling me, daddy.”
Haze traced his fingers up the road about thirty clicks. “Now, this location right here - that’s our destination. It’s perfect. …By the way, you got me those parts I asked for? I’m thinking we’re square on the price, assuming I live to use them.”
At the merchant’s nod, Haze smiled. “It’s a real fine thing to have met you, boys. Sorry to have knocked you around like that, especially seeing’s as we’re Brothers now.”
The merchant was staring at the map, looking around at the areas Haze had marked. “I’d only add that we have the three of us enter here, right through her office window, while the others enter through there. Unless you have objections?”
“No. Sounds like icing on the cake, especially if she’s working.”
The merchant nodded his head. “Kind of what I was thinking…”
31
Violet
The first quake happened as Vi was settling down in her cot, trying to sleep. It must have been a big explosion, because it shook her almost out of her bed.
She sat up fast. Haze. There was no question. She knew - like a sure fire in her soul - Haze was here, and he’d brought the fire with him.
More crashes sounded out over their heads. The slaves rushed together to huddle in one cell.
One of the male slaves muttered, “I don’t understand. They’re supposed to drop the metal grate around this cell. Seal us in.”
Hurriedly, Vi stood up in horror. “Are you serious? If everyone dies, we’d be stuck in here forever.
The slave shook his head. “We’re stuck in here forever, regardless,” he said, pointing at the main door that could only be opened from the outside. “Just keep yourself down until whatever it is, is over. They’ll review the tape later. If you didn’t, they’ll make sure you regret it. Trust me on that.”
“Like hell,” Vi said, standing up. She moved to the edge of the glass cell and walked outside the room to the hallway, keeping herself against the wall. No way was she getting trapped in that cell if a guard remembered to do his job.
There was a moment of intense shouting outside the door and the sounds of guns going off.
Silence stretched endlessly as she held her breath.
The locks clicked and the kind-seeming soldier from before came rushing in, waving his hand at them. “Hurry, all of you, hurry. They’ve come to get you out.”
“Don’t trust him,” the same male slave said. “He’s one of them. Stay put. We’ll be rewarded.”
The guard held the door open. “You have to hurry,” he repeated. “We don’t have much time.”
Vi stood up. “No, I think it’s Haze. He’s come to rescue us. We should go, quick.”
A shot sounded out, and the guard crumpled.
Vi gasped and knelt back down. Still crouching, she rushed back toward the cell but was still unwilling to go inside.
“The traitor jammed the gate,” someone yelled from outside the room. Ah, no wonder they hadn’t sealed them all in yet, Vi thought. Five guards rushed in and surrounded the cell the slaves were in. One of the guards aimed a weapon at Vi, and she moved herself the rest of the way back into the glass cage.
There was more gun fire and explosions; smoke billowed into their level. Vi blinked her eyes rapidly as she watched the entrance.
A large form crashed through the door, rolled across the floor, and came up with guns flourished. He leaped into the air, his guns still outstretched, firing rounds as he somersaulted in a magnificent display of aerobatics. The guards fired wildly but fell to the floor like a game of dominos.
He came to a stop near the door. She could only glimpse eyes above his face covering. He turned back to survey the room as he unhooked his mask and tossed it to the floor.
His skin was a muddy, off-colored shade, but it was definitely Haze. “Sorry it took so long,” he said.
“Haze.” Vi breathed out the word like a joyous chorus that reverberated inside her. Was it really almost over?
Haze nodded, a pained look on his face. His eyes flicked back to the others. Vi looked back as well. The slaves had come to their feet, but they were huddled together, nervously.
He raised his voice. "Any that want to come with us, now’s the time.”
Haze turned back to face the door, his guns held at the ready should any other guards make it into the room. “Let’s go. The back exit is covered by our guys. This way.”
Twelve broke off from the group and rushed to stand beside them. She gripped her tail between her hands, and her eyes were filled with a mixture of hesitant hope and confusion. “There’s no back exit,” she said.
Haze nodded his head as another even louder boom went out and shook the ceiling. A cloud of smoke rolled into the room, slowly dissipating and revealing a hole in the back wall.
Haze grinned in a ferocious way that filled Vi’s heart again. “There’s our exit… for all of us.” He glanced at the girl and back to Vi. “You ready?”
“Yes,” Vi breathed.
He squeezed her hand. “This way.” He took a few steps toward the opening, but Vi didn’t follow him.
A few slaves hovered at the door, uncertain, but many still stood in the middle of the main cell, clustered together. Their eyes, though, spoke volumes about their desire to come, to take the risk.
“Let’s go,” Haze said. “We don’t got a lot of time here.”
Vi raised her voice, hoping to give their feet courage. “This place sucks. Don’t stay here,” she urged them. She made eye contact with the tall yellow-skinned slave. The woman took a step forward.
“Whatever waits for us out there…” Vi pointed her hand over her head. “It’s a mile better than here, right?” With that, she turned to follow Haze, rushing after him.
“There’s our exit.” Haze pointed toward the opening above, created by the blast. Haze grinned. “…Used to be a closet, but I think, it’s a much better use of space.” Haze glanced around as the other slaves joi
ned them. He waved them to the side, against the wall.
“Everyone stay out of my line of sight, all right? Someone comes through the door, you’re not going to want to get in my way, right?” The slaves hurriedly moved out of the way.
“Good,” Haze nodded. He waved the slaves toward the opening. “Now, three at a time should be fine. Hold on tight. When you’re at the top, do what they say to keep the closet clear for the next group coming up.”
Vi leaned into the opening. Several ropes hung down from above, attached to a short, make-shift platform, hanging slightly in the air. A man poked his head down and encouraged her. “Climb on, quick, girl.”
Vi started to clamber onto the platform but saw the others waiting. “Here, let me help you. Quick, quick.” She loaded three onto the tray. They were pulled up to the next floor, then the tray was lowered again, and she guided the next three onto the platform, helping them to balance until it was raised out of sight.
She continued helping people until rapid shots sounded behind her, loud and in her ear. Vi went cold and froze, but she realized quickly that she wasn’t in pain. She shook it off and blindly reached to help the next slave, when she realized it was Seventeen. Seventeen had an arm around Twelve and was guiding her forward.
Another couple shots rang out and Twelve bolted forward, climbing onto the platform, her tail wrapped around one of the ropes.
Haze called up the hole, “Ammo!” and a square box fell to the ground. He scooped it up and reloaded his guns.
“There, we’re almost there,” Seventeen murmured into Twelve’s ear. “We’re ready,” she called up.
Vi moved her hand in the air to signal the next group, but no one came forward. She looked around and realized they were the only two left.
“Haze,” Vi said.
“I saw. Good job getting them all out. Let’s go.”
He climbed to the center of the tray and pulled her next to him. As the platform rose into the air, it vibrated. Haze’s arm went around her, holding her close. The warmth of his hand seeped through her back, steadying her.
Haze (The Telorex Pact Book 2) Page 12
